Guarded
by Lottsoflove97
Summary: Callie comes to stay with the Foster's after her stepfather's abuse lands her in the hospital. She and Brandon form a quick and undeniable bond. Callie has never had anyone there for her before, but will Brandon be the first one she is able to let in?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I've started watching the Fosters on ABC family and absolutely loved it! i loved the instant bond between Callie and Brandon and I can't help but ship them as a couple! They would be perfect together! 3 3 In this story Jude doesn't exist (i love him so much, but don't see how i can fit him in :). Callie never went to Juvie, she was placed in the foster system after her stepfather abused her so badly she ended up in the hospital. Hope you enjoy! xxx Lottie**

**Callie's POV**

The brightness scared me. The white of the walls, the fluorescent lighting, the steady beeping of the machines. The hospital has always been my least favorite place, too many tainted childhood memories took place in this prison. My eyes adjusted to the brightness, my head clearing out of the fog of sleep. I took in the empty room, and a feeling of relief rushed through me when I realized it was just that- empty. _He_ wasn't here. No need to lie, to make up some ridiculous accident that I had which would explain my injuries. I closed my eyes and leaned back into the pillow. Cold. It was cold here. I shivered a little in my hospital gown. Footsteps approaching on the linoleum sent me upright, subconsciously preparing myself for his blows.

"Callie? Are you awake?" I didn't recognize the voice of the woman who leaned in my doorway. Her red hair was pulled up hastily, her eyes tired and red. I stared at my feet, not answering.

"You are Callie right?" I raised my eyes to meet her green ones, and nodded slowly.

"Hi. I'm Mary-Anne. Can I come in?" I nodded once again, and she crossed over to the armchair next to me, pulling papers out of her bag. "I have something I need to talk to you about. You're being placed in Child Protective Services, do you know what that is?"

"Yes. It's Foster Care." I said, trying to keep my voice even. I pulled my legs up to my chest, resting my chin on my battered knee. I knew this was going to happen sooner or later, a child can't be clumsy enough to justify sixteen different hospital-worthy injuries by herself.

"You're a smart girl Callie, you know this isn't your fault. We'll be placing you with a temporary family for now, but because of your peculiar situation, it might be awhile until you see something permanent. Do you understand?" I stared at her with an unbreakable gaze, but inside, my head was racing. I had mastered the art of acting strong in front of others, in that house it was act strong or be hit. My heart pounded in my ears, I was terrified. All I had ever wanted was to get away from that house, to get away from _him_. But I feel so alone. Alone and empty.

"I understand." My whispers filled the silence between us.

xxx

**Callies POV Continued**

There I was again, standing in front of the house that haunted my nightmares. The dying brown grass needed to be cut, the chain link fence broken in several places. The small house was sagging and it smelt like beer. I hated that smell. I suppressed the urge to throw up as I walked into my room. If you could call it that. The tiny bed was shoved in the corner, with a basic cotton blanket thrown over it haphazardly. Less than two inches away was a bureau, with only one drawer, that was stained with unrecognizable substances. I nervously tugged at my locket. It was the only thing of value I had. It was fake gold, a heart shaped locket on a rusting chain, with a picture of my mother inside. How I missed her. After she left, everything fell apart. The bruises started getting bigger, hurting more, the absences from school more frequent and noticeable. I left my friends, I couldn't trust anyone anymore. Mary-Anne stood behind me, obviously appalled at the entire situation. She handed me an olive canvas duffle to place my stuff in, a step up from the normal plastic trash bag. I transferred the piles of clothes and toiletries from my drawer to the bag, not that there was much to transfer. A couple of shirts, a couple of sweaters, some underwear, two pairs of jeans, some shorts and a pair of leggings. My running gear was the only thing I had ever asked for, and I piled in the spandex/sports bra/tank top combination. All secondhand. I reached around the space, grabbing two paperback books, and my stuffed bear. It wasn't much, but when you're trying to be invisible, you don't ask for anything. I grabbed my spiral notebook and folder from school and shoved it in there too. Might as well.

"Do you need a moment?" Her voice cut through the stale air with agitation, like she needed to be somewhere else.

"No," I replied, looking around one last time. "Let's just go."

xxx

**Brandons POV**

Another kid. There was going to be another kid in this house in three hours. Lena and Steph were staring us down from their usual place at the head of the breakfast table. Marianna was doing her nails, this time a vibrant blue, the obnoxious fumes filling the kitchen air. She didn't seem to care at all. Jesus was jumpy, he hadn't taken his pill yet, and just wanted to leave so he could meet his friends at the skatepark. Neither of them looked happy that there was going to be another living, breathing human being under this roof.

"Just remember, Callie's had a rough life. She's been forced to give up her childhood, and from what I heard from CPS, It wasn't a very good one. All I know is that her mom passed away and she was placed in foster care recently after an incident with her stepfather. Just please, try to be nice to her." Steph was talking about our new boarder, Callie her name was. Lena clinked her nails against the side of her coffee cup in a rhythm, thinking.

"Sure-Whatever." Marianna responded, "When can I go to the mall? I don't want to spend my Saturday afternoon at home." Steph let out a deep sigh as Jesus started getting jumpier.

"You're all free to-", before she could finish her sentence they were both off, Jesus taking off on his skateboard, scratching the wood floors once again, and Marianna instantly on her cell phone, not even messing up her polish. I just sat there, watching the unfolding chaos.

"How long do you think she'll stay?" I asked, being the only one left in the kitchen. I raised my eyes to meet the blue one's of Steph, my biological mom, and the brown one's of Lena, my newly found other mom. Lena and Steph exchanged a look. They hesitated before responding.

"We don't know," Lena started, and we heard the load oak door slam in the wake of the twins. "She needs a temporary home. It will be awhile until they find something more permanent."

"Don't worry Mom," I said, rising from the table and clearing the plates, "I'll help her adjust."

"This is why we love you." Steph said, patting my shoulder. "Just don't push too hard."

***A couple hours later***

Marianna and Jesus were late again. We were all supposed to be home by seven to meet Callie once she got here, but per usual, I was the only one home on time. My phone rang, Talya was calling. I slid to the left to ignore her call. Lately she was being really clingy and jealous. She was suffocating me. Steph, Lena and I were standing by the door, waiting. The crunch of a car's tires on the gravel alerted us to their presence. Steph reached down to turn the door handle just as a knock echoed through the room. She opened the door allowing the two unfamiliar people in.

"Hi," a tired, middle-aged, redhead started, "I'm Mary-Anne with CPS, we talked on the phone earlier?" She stuck her hand out and shook with my moms.

"Yes, Yes. Nice to see you. And you must be Callie?" Lena replied. We all looked toward Callie, and it took a great deal of self control not to cry out. She was looking down at her feet, her shaggy brown hair partially obscuring her face. Her brown eyes were scared, her hand clutching her bag so tightly her knuckles were white. The first thing I noticed was the bruise covering the entire side of her jawbone. Then the busted lip. Then the bruises on her tiny wrists, black and blue and ugly. At the sound of her name, Callie tilted her head up and nodded towards Lena, putting up an effort, but only able to manage a small half-smile.

"Hello." Her voice was strong and confident, the complete opposite of what she had looked like when she first arrived.

"This is our son Brandon, you will be staying in the extra bed in his room." Lena started. " We start dinner at 7:30 and can give you all the stuff you need to know then. Brandon, honey, why don't you help Callie settle in and we'll start dinner?" She turned to Callie once more and added, "Callie, know you're safe here. Welcome to our home." Lena reached out towards Callie, pulling her into a hug that was mainly one-sided. "Well see you in a few."

xxx

**Callie's POV**

I stiffened when Lena touched me. My entire body hurt, the morphine was not enough to stop the pain. They seemed nice enough. I didn't know they were lesbians, but its not like that matters or anything. As they said, it's only temporary. I tugged at the gold locket once more, as they left the room and Mary-Anne left the house. She could not wait to get out of here. Once again, alone. Brandon smiled at me, reaching out his hand to shake mine.  
"Hey there," he said, his eyes shining. They looked kind. I hesitated for a second, before taking his hand and shaking it. "I'm Brandon. I guess were gonna be bunkmates.."

"Hey. I'm Callie. And I guess we will." I said clearly. I wasn't weak, and I sure as hell wasn't going to act like I was. He motioned for me to follow him upstairs. Walking up, I passed all the family pictures, on vacation, in the park, some with the other two kids that weren't here yet. It was nice, seeing that some people in this world were actually able to have a family that didn't fall apart.

"Here we are," Brandon said, gesturing around to his room. I spotted a guitar in the corner, I made a mental note to ask to borrow it in a couple days. "This is your bed." He pointed over to one in the opposite corner, covered in new yellow sheets.

"Thanks." I said, dropping my bag on the floor and sitting on the bed. He was looking at me again.

"I hope it doesn't make you uncomfortable that were sharing a room. It was the only room with an extra bed." He said bashfully, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"Nah. It's totally fine." I said, allowing myself to give him a little half smile. He could tell I had my wall up, he could tell I was guarded. I could see it in his eyes, see the way he was trying to make conversation without stepping on a minefield.

"You can ask, ya know." I said after a while, as Brandon moved over to his bed, which was perpendicular to mine. He looked over at me puzzled.

"Ask what?" His curly brown hair flopped on his forehead, covering his wrinkled line that showed his confusion.

"I see you staring. I'm not oblivious. You can ask me why I'm all beat up." I looked over at him, tucking my knees to my chest. Brandon's face was flushed, his flustering expression evident.

" But are you gonna tell me?" He asked, meeting my eyes. I looked at my feet again. I felt strange around Brandon. Like I didn't need to have my guard up, like I didn't have to be so cold. But I was know it's temporary. I know that if I open up and trust him he's just going to leave and hurt me. I can't let anyone do that, not after what _he _did. I looked over at Brandon again. I am strong. I can't avoid it forever.

**xxx**

**Brandon's POV**

I heard Callie take in an audible breath. I mentally swore at myself for not remembering what Lena had said earlier.. Don't push too hard. But I had a strange feeling about Callie. I had a feeling like I could trust her, like she could trust me. I met Callie's pain filled brown eyes with mine. Just from her eyes I could tell she was strong. I could tell she had gone through so much more than anyone should have to.

"Well-", her voice rang out clear, "Long story short it was my step dad." She looked over at me again, as she was playing with the zipper on her shoes. "I reminded him too much of my mother, so after she died, he became depressed. Started drinking, then taking it out on me. He started a couple years ago, just hitting me where people wouldn't see it, so they wouldn't ask questions. But as the time passed he grew sloppy, hitting me all the time, in places that could be seen easily. A couple nights ago would have been their ten year anniversary. He absolutely lost it. Started beating me senseless. It only stopped when he passed out drunk. They took me to the hospital, to CPS, and now to here..." She trailed off. I could tell it was hard for her to tell the story. I started to reply when Steph's voice rang out and called us down to dinner. I got up off the bed and reached my hand out to Callie.

"Hey, I know you don't know me at all, but opening up must have taken a lot of strength. I'm sorry you had to go through that. Come on, lets go eat." I felt her small hand close in mine as I pulled her slight frame off the bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I didn't expect all the feedback I got from everyone about this story! :D it means a lot and I have so many ideas I want to incorporate into the story! But did you guys see next weeks trailer!? The Quinceanera? The break-up? The BALLIE MOMENTS? I cannot wait! xxx Lottie**

**Callie's POV**

The darkness behind my eyes was slowly getting lighter, and then all of a sudden, brightness. My eyes fluttered open, automatically searching the room for my step-father. Not seeing him towering over me was an unfamiliar feeling, and as my eyes focused in the early morning daylight, the rest of the room became unfamiliar to me as well. A strange feeling rushed through me when the events of the previous day came back into my memory. I couldn't identify this strange feeling, but my body remembered it from another time, another place. I pull myself out of my bed, running my fingers through my short layers to untangle it. I looked over and saw that Brandon's bed had already been made. My bare feet were cold walking over the hardwood floors and down the stairs. I stumbled sleepily into the kitchen, where I saw Brandon sitting at the table in his plaid pajama bottoms and Pink Floyd tee shirt, eating a bowl of cereal.

"Morning Callie." He said, pushing an empty bowl and spoon towards me.

"Hey," I said back, yawning a little as I poured myself some cereal, "Where is everyone?" The house was eerily quiet.

"They all went Quinceanera shopping," he said, smiling at me with his floppy smile,"You know how much work goes into those things?"

"Not really.." I smiled back at him across the island. Slowly, I could feel myself open up to him. He was chipping at my defenses, like a sculptor with a block of marble. "Hey do you know any running routes around here?" I asked after finishing my cereal. He reached across the table and grabbed my empty bowl, putting both of them in the sink. Turning his head slightly, a little laugh escaped his lips.

"You run?" He asked, his eyebrows raised.

"All the time. I love it." I said back to him. Putting the cereal back into the open kitchen cabinet.

"Me too!" He said, surprised. "I can show you some this afternoon if you want?"

"I mean I could probably figure it out on my own.." I said casually, "I don't run well with others." He smiled at me.

"Callie, come on..." He said, smiling back at me.

**xxx**

I bounced down the stairs in my running gear, my hair tied up in a high ponytail. After a while of pleading, I finally decided to let Brandon come with me, and I met him at the bottom of the stairs.

"Alright," he said, his eyes shining. "Let's get started. Okay, so we're going to go down the street, take a left, run on that for a couple miles until we get to Lincoln, then we turn left again and go down half a mile until we reach the beach. Got it?" He held the door open for me as I passed.

"It's on." I said, smiling at him. We were off not soon after that. I kept my first couple miles slow and steady running about 7 minutes per mile. I kept a good distance of twenty feet or so between us, focusing on my own breathing. After we hit Lincoln, I fired it up, easily closing the distance. My lungs ached from breathing the salty air, and there was fire in my legs, pumping me forward. I passed Brandon and blew by him, covering double the distance I had before. My feet hit the pavement in a steady motion, sweat beading up on my forehead and shoulders. The sun scorched me from behind as I heard Brandon's surprised cries. The beach appeared over the asphalt, my lungs burned for water. I pushed myself harder, pumping my arms and breathing heavily. The sand got closer and closer, and I heard Brandon's footsteps catching up with my own. Finally I closed the gap, collapsing onto the sand. Brandon fell next to me, sprawling out with sweat dripping down his forehead. We both laid there for minutes, staying silent until our breaths steadied. His hand was barely touching my leg. I pulled it out of his reach. Brandon lifted his head from the sand, blocking out the sun from his eyes.

"You're not too bad..." he said, grinning at me.

"You're not too bad yourself." I said back, looking over the water. The sun reflected off the surface, blinding us.

"So, when you're not tearing it up on the pavement, what do you like to do?" Brandon asked, adjusting his body so he was sitting next to me on the sand.

"Well I don't really like much of anything. I didn't really have the kind of freedom to figure it out..." I paused briefly, looking around.

"Come on Callie, you can tell me _something _about you.." He looked at me with wide blue eyes. "You don't have to keep everything to yourself you know." I laughed a little despite myself. It wasn't an actual laugh, but more of a chuckle. I hadn't been able to laugh since mom died.

"I play guitar. I love music. I write. I run. What else is there?" I said looking over at him.

"You play guitar?" He asked me, looking excited and confused at the same time. I nodded in affirmation.

"That's cool. I have one you could use if you wanted to." He smiled at me again.

"I'd like that. What about you Mr. Twenty-Questions? What do you like to do?" I pulled my knees to my chest and locked my fingers around them protectively.

"I play piano mostly," he leaned back on his elbows, also looking out over the water. "But I love music too, all types but mainly classic rock and classical. I also run, as you know. I read too much to be normal..." he trailed off laughing and shaking the sand out of his hair. "Hopefully, I'll get accepted to Juilliard. It's my dream school after all. I have a practice audition for young talent next weekend."

"Thats good," I said, picking at a piece of dried seaweed. It felt easy, talking to Brandon. It felt right. "Do you know what you're playing?"

"It's an original composition, that I wrote about growing up through a divorce, and having gay parents. Remind me to play it for you sometime," he said, looking at me. A silence passed, not an awkward one, but a thinking one. After a while, Brandon got up off the sand, brushing off his legs. "We should get home, I'm starved."

**xxx**

The cold air hit me like a slap the second I stepped out of the shower. I squeezed the water out of my hair, brushing it out and getting dressed in the privacy of the bathroom. I avoided all the mirrors, I couldn't stand to look at myself much these days. I could hear a commotion outside the door, everyone was home and hungry. I opened the door and stepped out into the kitchen, holding my towel. I tugged my sleeve down to cover the bruise my step-dad had left on my wrist.

"Hey Callie. You're just in time for lunch." Lena called over to me, as she heaped tuna salad into a bowl on the kitchen island. "Everyone is at the table if you want to join them", she said smiling. I gave her a weak smile back, and headed for the table. I didn't really talk to anyone except Brandon. It was weird, the way he could convince me to let him in when all I wanted to do was shut everyone, including myself, out. I remained quiet throughout lunch, and when questions were asked to me, I avoided them with expert-like ease.

**Brandon's POV**

Callie was always quieter around the rest of my family then she was with me. I bit into my sandwich, and watched as she ate her own. She dodged a lot of the questions Stef and Lena were asking her, and after a while they gave up and started going through the plan for tomorrow.

"So," Stef started, "Tomorrow is your first big day! We eat breakfast at 7:15, we leave at 7:20. The first bell rings at 7:35." She looked over to Lena, signaling for her to continue while she took a bite out of her own sandwich.

"You'll be taking the basic core classes, so for this year that means Pre-Calculus, Physics, World History, English and two electives you can choose. We can set it all up tomorrow morning when you get there. Sound good?" Lena looked over at her smiling and waiting for her response.

"Yeah." she said, giving her a half-smile.

"We eat dinner at 7:00 sharp, everyones there unless you clear it with one of us. Weekday curfew is 8, lights out by 11. Weekend curfew is 11:00, lights out by midnight. Got it?"

"Got it." I finished off my sandwich as they resumed their normal conversation.

"I'm gonna head upstairs. Wanna come Callie?" I said, putting my plate in the sink. I could tell she wanted to get outta there.

"Yeah sure." She said, looking at me with an expression of relief. She put her plate in the sink and pulled her hair up into a high ponytail, following me up the stairs.

**xxx**

"Hey heres that guitar," I said, handing it to Callie. She was sitting on the bed, legs crossed. "Do you mind if I play a little?." I asked her, pointing to the keyboard. She shook her head, strumming her fingers over the guitar strings.

"Hey-" She called over to me as I sat down on the keyboard bench. "Why don't you play that original thing you were talking about earlier?" She put the guitar down on her bed and walked over. "I'd like to hear it." She continued, leaning against the wall.

"Haha alright." I rustled around the piano stand for a while, looking for the right sheet music. I started to play, filling the room with chords and notes and trills. She was watching my hands as they ran across the octaves of white and black keys. The last note of the melody resonated through the room, and I took my hands off the keys.

"How is it about the divorce and you're family? It doesn't have any words." She said, confused.

"Well here," I started to explain, "This is me." I played the melody. "And these are my moms." I played a different one. "And this is everyone." I played both hands together along with a few other notes. "You see how it sounds better together?" I asked her, smiling.

"Yeah. I see it." She smiled back, looking down at her feet. I felt strange all of a sudden. I couldn't tell what it was but I felt strange.

"I have an idea, why don't we do a duet? You can play guitar and I'll play piano?" I felt triumphant for coming up with such a good idea. She smiled at me, no really smiled, it spreading full across her face. That was the first time I actually saw Callie smile since she got here. This whole situation couldn't be easy for her. I rustled around some more, pulling out some guitar music for Callie. She started reading it, getting used to the melody and fingerings.

"You ready?" She asked me, her eyes shining.


	3. Chapter 3

**DUDE. THE QUINCEANERA. I cant believe... OH MY GOSH. SHE RAN AWAY. SHE ALWAYS RUNS AWAY... gahhhh...! and wyatt! like NO. GET OUT. why can't it be monday every day!? xxx Lottie**

**Callie's POV**

The bell rang loudly through the hallway, and suddenly it was filled with people jostling each other as they tried to get to their respective classes. Brandon was laughing at something I said, his eyes lighting up as we walked. I felt that strange feeling again, in the very bottom of my stomach.

"And over here is the English hallway," he said, pointing down the hallway towards a row of doors painted blue. All the doors were color coded by subject, making it easier to find the classrooms I was looking for. "You have first period with Timothy, he's great." His hand brushed up against my leg and I subconsciously shrank back from him. I know I shouldn't be afraid of him, but anyone touching me makes me think of my step-dad. He's in jail now, and I keep telling myself that I can relax, that I can trust. But this isn't my permanent home, the second I open up they're going to send me away again.

"Brandon!" A high pitched voice called out behind us, and I turned to see an unfamiliar girl bouncing down the hallway, trying to balance in her heels. Brandon stopped as the rest of the students drained out of the hallway.

"Talya, hey." He responded, sticking his hands in his pockets while she closed the distance.

"Hey you! I haven't seen you at all lately. You wanna come over later? My parents are out of town..." She trailed off, placing her hand on his chest and leaning into him.

"Oh um actually..." He started, taking her hand in his and removing it from his chest. "I have plans tonight," he looked over to me frantically, "With Callie actually." His eyes pleaded with me to go along with it, even though we hadn't made any sort of plans for tonight.

"Umm.. yeah. Hi. I'm Callie." I said quickly, waving a little with my hand. She looked at me coldly.

"Oh. I don't think I've met you." She said to me, with hostility in her voice.

"Yeah," Brandon said, angling his body between us, "She's gonna be staying with us for a while."

"Oh." She said, her lips pursed in a tight line. "Well I didn't see you all weekend so-"

"I was showing Callie around." Brandon said, cutting her off. The late bell rang, resonating through the stony silence between the three of us. "So I'll see you around I guess. We have to get to class." Brandon said, gesturing down the hallway.

"Yeah... I guess we do." Talya said, looking defeated. She gave him a really quick peck on the cheek and turned down the hallway. Brandon started walking down the hallway, running his hand through his hair.

"Woah Woah Woah Woah Woah..." I said, following him towards the door. "Who was that and why did I just cover for you?" He turned around and leaned against one of the red lockers.

"That was my girlfriend, Talya." He said, letting out a breath. "And I asked you to cover because I don't think it's going to work out. I don't know she's just changed.." I shifted the weight of my backpack to my other shoulder. The idea of Brandon dating hadn't occurred to me, and it was weird to think about.

"Oh I'm sorry," I said back, looking up at him. "I hope you guys figure it out." I ran a hand through my short layers.

"Thanks. Maybe. Come on Callie, lets get to class." He said, gesturing down the hallway.

xxx

**Talya's POV**

"And I totally heard that she was arrested before coming here, and this is some punishment for her." I said, flipping my hair over my shoulder. I looked over at Jessica and Mollie, both drinking non-fat lattes from our favorite soy place around the corner.

"God she's such a freak, and she only wears like, three things." Jessica said, twirling her bleached ends and laughing.

"Hey how's it going with Brandon? I heard from Alexa that she heard from Amanda that Jordyn saw you fighting in the hallway." God I hated how fast things spread through Anchor Beach. I smiled at them, after applying a new layer of lip gloss.

"No, we're fine. Just been a little hard to get privacy recently with all the _strays _in their house."

I laughed a little bit at my own joke.

"Well I heard that she was amish and was exiled for getting pregnant." Mollie added, fixing the strap of her heel. That one was surprising. The bell signaling the end of lunch period rang, and we all groaned.

"See ya girls, lets meet up after school." A chorus of kays and air kisses filled the air around me. I walked across the green towards my history class, before turning into the bathroom. Who else was there but my new friend Callie? She finished drying her hands and turned to leave.

"Oh hi Callie!" I said, blocking the door. "How's it going?" I asked, my voice dripping with fake enthusiasm.

"Oh hi... You're Talya right?" She responded, pulling her hair up into a high ponytail that highlighted her beat up face.

xxx

**Callie's POV**

Tayla was blocking the bathroom door, smiling her painted smile. Quickly, I saw her smile drop, replaced with a tight lipped scowl.

"Yeah, I'm Brandon's girlfriend. And _you _need to stay away from him." She put her hand on her hip and continued to stare at me.

"Um excuse me?" I responded, the confused look on my face evident. She narrowed her eyes at me, taking a step closer.

"You heard me," She said again, staring me in the eyes, "Stay away from him. Or else." And with that she turned and left in a cloud of expensive perfume and shampoo.

xxx

Sweat beaded on my forehead, the sand on the asphalt crunching under my feet. The sun beat down on me, but I pushed myself further. The familiar ache returned, the familiar gasping feeling in my lungs. I turned the corner and continued at my pace, my legs burning with every stride. After my confrontation with Talya I had heard three different rumours that she had most definitely started. How can someone be that insecure? I ran harder and faster than I ever had before, finally reaching the Foster's green lawn. I collapsed on the steps, breathing heavily. No one was home yet, Lena and Steph were still at work, Mariana and Jesus had plans and Brandon stayed after school to practice his recital song. I covered my eyes with the crook of my elbow, blocking out the light until my breathing stabilized. I pushed myself off the stairs and headed up to my shared room to change.

**Brandon's POV**

I opened the door and headed into my house, slinging my backpack onto the floor and kicking off my sneakers. No one was home yet, and I'm pretty sure Callie was still on her run. I grabbed a snack out of the cabinet, running a hand through my hair. My rehearsal had gone well today, I had hit every note right when I was supposed to. I bit into the peach, its juice dripping down my chin. Wiping it away with my sleeve, I headed upstairs, tossing the finished peach in the garbage as I went. I pushed open my door, and saw Callie standing there with a shocked expression on her face. She was wearing her sports bra and shorts, exposing the injuries she had attempted to hide under her clothes. Her body was covered in bruises, that were in different stages of black and blue. There were scratches covering her back and the expression in her eyes had never been so afraid.

"Callie- I didn't know you were home," I said, slowly averting my eyes.

"You're fine, I really shouldn't be changing in here anyways..." She trailed off, grabbing her clothes off the floor and heading for the shared bathroom.

"Callie wait!" I called after her, blocking her from entering the bathroom.

"Why!" She yelled, trying to move past me, "So you can look at my bruises and feel sorry for me?!" I placed a hand on her elbow, and she jerked back from my touch.

"No Callie just listen to me!" She stopped fighting me, looking at me for the first time. "I would never judge you or your past or anything." I started, meeting her eyes. I took her arm in mine, turning it over and examining her bruises. "I can't believe someone did this to you." I said, letting go of her arm.

"Yeah, well try living through it." She responded covering her stomach with her arms.

"Callie, I will never let anyone hurt you like this again."

"How would you be able to do that?," she started, her eyes looking pained, "Who knows how long I'll be here. A month or two, maybe three. Then I'll be shipped off to another house, another family and it will start all over again." I couldn't handle the expression on her face. Callie was so unusually strong, she had lived through so much, and yet all I wanted to do was take it all away. I wanted to erase her past completely. I wrapped my arms around her, and felt her stiffen. She buried her face in my shoulder, and I rested my chin on the top of her head. I felt her muscles unclench and I held her tighter to my chest. It was the first time I had seen Callie cry.


	4. Chapter 4

**Short chapter today sorry! I just had to continue this before I lost my train of thought! I will post a longer, better chapter later! xxx Lottie**

**Callie's POV**

I couldn't help but cry when Brandon held me close to him like that. All the tears I had never cried over my mother, over my step-father, over the abuse.. they all came tumbling out like a flood that I couldn't stop. So stupid. So stupid and weak. He was seeing a side of me I never wanted anyone to see. But as stupid as it seemed, I felt safe. He held me so close to him, his arms wrapped around me and his head resting on mine, making me seem so small and protected. He held me for what seemed like hours, not saying a word. We heard the thuds of footsteps coming up the stairs, and we separated just in time to see Talya bounce up the remaining stairs. I wiped my eyes on my forearm, and steadied myself against the doorframe as Talya's smile turned into a tight lipped scowl.

"What's going on?" She demanded, crossing her arms and staring at me with all the intensity she could muster.

"Oh hey Talya," Brandon started, "What are you doing here?" He slid his hands into his pockets and matched her gaze.

"What do you mean _what am i doing here_? I'm your girlfriend not this little stray dog your family has taken in from who knows where!" Talya screamed, growing madder by the second.

"Woah you do not talk to Callie like that!" Brandon said at the same time I screamed back at her "Excuse me?!" My fists balled up in anger, and I could see her checking out the bruises on my body.

"You heard me, a beat up little stray!" She continued to tease, now yelling loud enough to be heard throughout the neighborhood. "And I told you to STAY AWAY from him!" Her eyes were wild and untameable, her anger rolling off of her in waves. She lunged at me, her fist connecting with my temple and sending me crashing to the floor. My head pounded and I couldn't see straight. I felt Brandon kneel beside me, shielding me with his own body.

"TAYLA!" Brandon screamed, putting more distance in between them. She looked scared and regretful, looking down at me with a mixture of hatred for me and hatred for herself. He marched up to her and grabbed her arm, leading her downstairs into the kitchen. I crept back into our shared room and finished changing, wiping my eyes repeatedly and trying to put up my cold exterior again. I heard them shouting at each other, the words vibrating through the wood floors. I could barely make out what they were saying, except for at the end when I heard Brandon yell "Get out!" and "I'm done!" and Tayla's crying and the door slamming as she ran out of the house. I sat on my bed, with my knees pulled up to my chest in my sweatpants and sweatshirt. Brandon had seen everything, he had seen me raw and exposed. I had let down my defenses and let him in, and it brought me an uneasiness and an uncertainty. My head was still spinning from Tayla's blow and from when my head crashed against the floor. Brandon appeared a few minutes later, holding a mug of tea and an ice pack. He kneeled down beside my bed, placing his hand over my knee.

"Callie I don't know where to start. I am so sorry. About her, about everything..." He trailed off, handing me the ice pack and the tea. I clutched it close to me, breathing in the warmth. My head stopped spinning, and I was able to focus on his blue eyes, so filled with emotions it was terrifying.

"Please," I muttered, "Don't tell anyone. They'll send me away. Please." He met my eyes, nodding once, before sitting next to me on my bed. "I just need to sleep." I said, leaning my head onto his shoulder. He wrapped his one arm around my back, pulling me closer to him. I closed my eyes, exhausted, and before I knew it, the world went dark.

xxx


	5. Chapter 5

**another short chapter! aghh im so sorry! i will write a longer one soon i promise! i was so excited writing this chapter! I hope you enjoy it! I can't wait for Monday! uhhh! And i've gotten a lot of pm from you guys and i love them! it makes me feel like i know you personally so please keep them coming! i love to hear your opinions! I feel extremely honored to be put on the fanfiction section of the Brallie page on the Fosters Wiki! I never thought that would happen ever! so please go check it out its an amazing source! xxx Lottie**

**Brandons POV**

It had been about a week since the break-up with Talya, so it made no sense at all that I looked at my phone to see the sixtieth lets make up and have passionate sex text from her. I was sitting on the sofa and the clock read 12:01 am on a Sunday morning. Everyone was sleeping, but my no matter how hard I tried, my mind would not slow down. I continued to think over everything that happened this past week from Callie's arrival to the break-up with Talya to planning the twin's quinceanera. My mind always came back to Callie. I don't know how to say it, but I felt different with her. I felt like I could be myself, and it was true no matter how cliche it sounded. My mind focused on the sound of her rare laughs that weren't quite laughs, on her chocolate eyes rimmed in gold, on the way her fingers curved when she held the guitar and the concentrated look on her face when she ran. I was getting lost in my memories when Stef stumbled sleepily into the kitchen.

"Brandon! What are you doing up?" She asked, her voice drowsy.

"Just thinking. I couldn't sleep.." I responded as she stretched out her arms and let out a large yawn.

"Oh well I was meaning to talk to you about this in the morning but I guess since we're both up it would be nice to talk about it in private." I wasn't sure if this was a statement or a question. I nodded at her and she sat down on the coffee table, suddenly awake, her hands folded in her lap.

"Well, I got a call today from CPS reminding me of a few basic rules I should've covered with you the second we brought Callie into this house." She ran a hand through her blonde hair, looking worn out by all this. "One of the rules is that foster siblings cannot, how do I say this, partake in certain actions that others can."  
"Mom-" I said, instantly on the defensive, "There is nothing going on between Callie and I."

"Alright. As long as you know the rules. Goodnight my love. Get some sleep." She said, standing up and retreating to her bedroom. My brain moved at an even faster pace than before, this time swirling with the fact that I had just lied to my mom. There was something going on between me and Callie. At least I hoped that there would be something between us. I couldn't stop thinking about her, she made me feel something i'd never experienced before with Talya or anyone. I thought I loved Talya, I thought she was the one. Thats why I slept with her. But with her I never felt the way I did around Callie. Every time I was near her I wanted to reach out and touch her, hold her, kiss her, taste her. It was a physical struggle not to take her hand or kiss her lips. I heard little muffled thuds come down the staircase. I looked over to the hallway and saw Callie emerge, her hair tousled from sleeping and her eyes wide awake.

"Hey." She said to me, running a hand through her layers. "I saw you were out of bed and came to find you. Can't sleep?" She asked me, shuffling over to me, her pajama pants dragging along the floor. She stood in a patch of moonlight, giving the left side of her body a silvery glow.

"No. My mind won't shut down." I said, standing up and running a hand through my hair.

"I've had those nights." She let out a small laugh that rang quietly through the room.

"Haha shhh we don't want to wake up the moms!" I warned in a whisper, looking over at her. "Did you ever learn how to dance?" I asked randomly, throwing her off a bit.

"Me, dance? Do you want the world to burst into flames?" She joked, tucking one foot behind the other.

"Come on, I'll show you." I said, casually taking her hand in mine.

xxx

**Callie's POV**

He loosely took his hand in mine, causing that unfamiliar feeling to flare up again. Just being near him caused these feelings to happen, and I knew I shouldn't have feelings for him, but I did. I'm not going to deny it. It's self destructive and dangerous and stupid, but I have feelings for Brandon Foster. It could cause me to get kicked out of the house, it could cost me the respect and love of this foster family. There was so much at stake here. Plus theres no guarantee he even feels the same way.

"You put your other hand on my shoulder." He whispered, breaking me out of my thoughts. He moved his other hand to the small of my back, sending a shock up my spine. I placed my hand on his shoulder, the smooth cotton of his tee shirt warm under my touch.

"Now you just count in fours and follow my lead." He said, leading me around the room in a circle. Suddenly, he twirled me around, extending me from his arm and then spinning me back in. His arms locked around me, holding me close. The moonlight reflected off his hair, and his face was so close I could feel the gentle intake and exhale of air on my neck. My hand was still in his, his face inches from my own. His gaze lingered on my lips, the tension thick.

"Callie," he started, moving his lips closer to mine. We were closer than before, if that were possible, close enough to see myself reflected in his blue eyes.

"This is wrong.." I breathed, our exhales mingling together. There was dry electricity crackling between us, light a match and the room would ignite.

"Then I don't want to be right..."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey you guys! Sorry this took me so long! DID YOU SEE THE 1x06!? xxx Lottie**

**Callies POV**

His whispers resonated in my ears, a thousand echoes of seven short words. I don't want to be right. How could they have such an effect on me? There was a pause between us, as if the air was holding its breath. I stared into Brandon's eyes. I don't want to be right either.

"This is temporary." I said to him in a hushed whisper. His hand found his way to my cheek, sending the butterflies swirling once more. I felt the burning sensation build behind my eyes. No. I wasn't going to cry. I couldn't. "Your family is going to give me up Brandon."

"What? No they're not there are other options." He said, leaning his forehead against mine without breaking our gaze. His lips were less than an inch away, and the butterflies were exploding.

"Like what?" I said back, a tear escaping down my cheek, leaving behind a trail of burning emotion. "Adoption? Then what Brandon. Tell me what? We'd be siblings."

"Are you saying you don't want this?" His eyes betrayed his strong appearance. "Because I want this more than anything Callie Jacobs." His arm tightened around me, pulling me even closer to him.

"I wish I could say no. But every guy who walks into my life hurts me." I looked away from him, feelings of shame washing over me for ruining this moment. The only possible moment I would probably ever get with Brandon Foster.

"Can I be the first one you let in again?" His voice was sweet and gentle, his hand tilting my face up so my eyes once again met his. The blues of his eyes showed kindness, his words melting the ice on my heart.

**Brandon's POV**

I looked down at her eyes, her scared expression betraying the cold exterior she put up to protect herself. I felt her small frame in my arms, and I wanted nothing more than to stay here forever, with Callie in my embrace. Where no one would be able to hurt her again. My question hung in the air, the silence taking over. I saw her resistance quiver. She met my eyes again, and slowly brought her lips up to meet mine. I kissed her softly, holding her close and savoring the feeling of having her all to myself. Her lips were soft against mine, and it sparked something inside of me. It was unfamiliar, and definitely not something Talya had ever sparked in me. Her kiss was hesitant and sweet, pulling me in. I broke our kiss, tucking her into my chest and wrapping my arms around her.

xxx

It was a typical Saturday morning at the Foster household. Something made out of batter was burning on the stove top, Stef was yelling at Marianna to hurry the hell up and get outta bed and Callie was sitting quietly at the table, drinking her black coffee. I took my seat next to her, and her face lit up a little when she saw me.

"Good Morning." I said, loving the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled. I wanted to keep that smile on her face every second of everyday.

"Good Morning." She replied, tucking a strand of short. brown hair behind her ear and stealing another sip of coffee. She was sitting cross legged on one of the oak kitchen chairs, wearing the same loose-fitting gray sweatpants as she had about eight hours ago. Jesus groggily wandered into the kitchen, dragging a cranky Marianna in his tow. She had just gotten out of the shower, and I couldn't help but draw a resemblance between her and a drowned cat. Lena placed a platter of pancakes on the table, and everyone lunged except for Callie, who doesn't eat breakfast. I had to battle with Jesus over the biggest pancake, resulting in a quickly shut-down duel with our forks. A little while later, Lena and Stef were cleaning dishes in the kitchen, Mariana and Jesus had gone to the beach and Callie and I were sitting on the couch. Callie was absent mindedly strumming her guitar. I watched as she winced when she played the wrong chord. She tried it again, only to get an even worse sounding combination of notes.

"Here Cal," I said, moving over to the couch with her. I took her hand in mine and moved her fingers around the strings and frets, placing them correctly. Our eyes met and we both blushed at the days earlier events in this very room. She smiled her crooked little half smile and it drove me crazy. I wanted to take her face in my hands and kiss her. I wanted to feel her soft lips against mine. But I promised her as we whispered in the darkness in our shared room, lying in our own beds with our heads pressed together, that I would keep it secret. Because I knew that if Stef and Lena found out, it could mean the end of us, it could mean the end of Callie's stay here, it could be the end of Callie's safety. I felt guilty for putting her in jeopardy like this. There were times last night where I laid awake thinking of how selfish I was being, long after Callie's breath had stabilized. My hand remained on hers on the neck of the guitar, the warmth from our bodies mingling together.

"I'm sorry Cal." I confessed to her, looking down sheepishly.

"About what?" She asked, confused. She looked over at me with her crooked half smile.

"Part of me regrets what happened last night. I feel so guilty for breaking the rules, for jeopardizing your safety. But I want this, I want us." My voice lowered as I spoke. I tightened my fingers around hers on the neck of the guitar.

"This is reckless. This is stupid. But I want us too." She whispered back to me, carefully removing her hand from mine and playing the corrected chord.

**xxx**

**Stef's POV**

Finally finished with the mountain-sized pile of dishes from breakfast, I walked over to the table and sat down with Lena. She was stirring her coffee and watching Brandon and Callie through the doorway. I followed her gaze and watched as they shared a quiet moment over the guitar Brandon had given Callie. Callie gave him a crooked half-smile and his face lit up.

"Honey?" I turned to Lena and placed my hand on her tiny wrist. She turned to face me, broken out of her stare. Her chocolate eyes met mine, her brow furrowing the slightest bit.

"Yeah?" She asked taking a sip of her coffee.

"Do you think there is anything going on between those two?" I asked her, gesturing my head to the two musicians sitting on the sofa. Her eyes widened.

"But the rules?" She responded quietly, "Brandon always follows the rules."

"This is different. They seem-" I let out a sigh, finishing my thought. "Maybe we should move her into a different room is all I'm saying. I talked to Brandon and he said there was nothing going on, but the way they look at eachother, its like the way you look at me." She nodded her head, going back to watch the two some more and sipping her coffee.

"I think you're right."


End file.
